Wall bed structure



April 1965 H. D. BENNETT 3,179,956

WALL BED STRUCTURE Filed June 7, 1963 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 IN VENTOR.

O Hmumzu D-BENNETT 0 BY L 7 nrra/e/vays April 27, 1965 H. D. BENNETT 3,179,956

WALL BED STRUCTURE Filed June 7, 1963 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 3 Hmumzo D BENNETT April 27, 1965 H. D. BENNETT WALL BED STRUCTURE Filed June 7, 1963 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 I l L."

INVENTOR 'HlLuAlzb D.BE NNs-r-r 5%- BY 42 ATTOE/VEVS United States Patent Ofiice 3,179,956 WALL BED STRUCTURE Hilliard D. Bennett, 1312 Central Ave., Hot Springs, Ark. Filed June 7, 1963, Ser. No. 286,376 6 Claims. (Cl. 136) This invention relates to a wall bed structure.

An object of the invention is to provide a wall bed structure wherein the bed assembly has associated therewith a torsion bar assembly which enables the bed assembly to be easily operated between a position of storage within a recess provided in the wall of a room, and a posi tion of use resting upon the adjacent portion of the floor of the room.

Another object of the invention is to provide a wall bed structure wherein a locking means is provided which is actuable upon execution of the movement of the bed assembly to the use position to releasably hold the bed assembly in fixed position upon the adjacent portion of the floor.

A further object of the invention is to provide a wall bed structure wherein a releasing means is operatively connected to the locking means for retaining the locking means in the position releasably holding the bed assembly in the fixed position upon the adjacent portion of the floor and which releasing means is releasable at the will of the user of the bed assembly.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a wall bed structure wherein there is provided an adjustable rest means which engages and supports the bed assembly when moved to the position of storage within the wall recess.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of a room showing the wall bed structure of this invention installed for movement into a wall recess, the bed assembly being shown in the position of use.

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged sectional View, with parts broken away, taken on the line 22 of FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 3 is a sectional view of the structure of FIG- URE 2, but showing the bed assembly moved to the storage position.

FIGURE 4 is a plan view of the structure of FIG- URE 2.

FIGURE 5 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional View taken on the line 5-5 of FIGURE 4.

FIGURE 6 is a plan view of the structure of FIG- URE 5.

FIGURE 7 is a transverse sectional view taken on the line 77 of FIGURE 5, and

FIGURE 8 is a fragmentary perspective view, with parts broken away, illustrating a corner portion of the bed frame, the adjacent anchor frame, and the structure connecting the bed frame to the anchor frame.

Referring to the drawings, the illustrated wall bed structure comprises a wall 10 of a living area, the wall being formed with a recess 12 which extends from the floor F to a point spaced above the floor and which is of an area to receive a bed assembly when in upstanding position, the portion of the floor F within the recess 12 being indicated by the numeral 13. Disposed in a position of use is a non-folding bed assembly designated by the numeral 14, the assembly, as shown in FIGURE 1, extending along the floor F with a headboard or head 16 contiguous to and in alignment with the recess 12 and the foot 18 spaced longitudinally outwardly of and in alignment with the recess 12.

The bed assembly 14 comprises a bed frame 20 which has a pair of side frame members 22 connected together 3,179,955 Patented Apr. 27, 19M";

at the inner complemental ends by an end cross-beam 26, and disposed rearwardly of and spaced from the crossbeam 26 are spaced cross-members 28, only one being partially shown, which is secured at their ends to the side frame members 22 and 24. Extending across the outer complemental ends of the side frame members 22 is an end cross-member 24. A wall panel 30 underlies and is fixedly carried by the bed frame 23 and is conformably shaped and constructed to concealingly close the recess 12 when the bed assembly is in storage position within the recess 12. Rising from the end cross-beam 26 is the headboard or head 16. Fixed to the cross-member 24 of the bed frame 20 and upon the wall panel 39 is the footboard or foot 18. Mounted upon the bed frame 20 is a box spring 36 and superimposed upon the box spring 36 is a mattress 38, the mattress being secured to the box spring 36 by cooperating releasing attaching means provided on the box spring 36 and the mattress 38, not shown.

Mounted upon and fixed to a portion of the floor F within the recess 12 and designated by the numeral 13 is an anchor frame 40. As shown in FIGURE 4, there are two of such frames, and since the structures thereof are identical only one of the frames 40 will be specifically described. The anchor frame 40 comprises an elongated base 41 having an upwardly-facing channel 42 extending longitudinally along each of its longitudinal edges from one end to the other end, the base being fixedly secured to the floor F by means of suitable fastening elements indicated by the numeral 43. A hinge leaf 44 extends in an upwardly-sloping direction from the front end of the base and has the rear end portion fixedly attached to the front end of the base 41. Fixedly attached to the cross-beams 26 of the bed frame 20 adjacent each of its ends is a complemental hinge leaf 45, each of the leaves 45 carrying a hinge pin 46. Rising from each of the hinge leaves 45 is an extension piece 47 which is secured to the back face of the head 16. The front ends of the hinge leaves 44 are pivotally connected to the hinge pins 46. This recited hinge construction constitutes the means connecting the bed frame 20 to the anchor frames 40 for movement of the bed assembly 14 between the use position as shown in FIGURE 1, and the upstanding position of storage within the recess 12, as shown in FIGURE 3.

A torsion bar assembly, generally designated 5G, is provided for controlling and assisting in the movement of the bed assembly 14 between the use position and the upstanding position of storage within the recess 12, the torsion bar assembly being so constructed as to be under maximum load condition when the bed assembly 14 is in the use position, and under minimum load condition when the bed assembly 14 is in the storage position. The torsion bar assembly 543 comprises a pair of straight bars 51 and 52 arranged so as to extend in criss-cross relation with the adjacent ends secured to the complemental ends of the anchor frame 49 and the bed frame 29. As shown in FIGURE 4, the torsion bar 51 terminates at its ends, in oppositely-directed arms 53 and 54, which are initially disposed at right angles thereto. The arm 53 is stressed and is extended into and attached to the related side frame member 22 of the bed frame 20, and the arm 54 is stressed and extends along the base 41 of the adjacent anchor frame 40 and is suitably fixed to the base 41. The torsion bar 52 underlies the torsion bar 51, and also terminates at its ends in oppositely-directed arms 53 and 54 which are initially disposed at right angles thereto. The arm 54 of the bar 52 is stressed and extends along the base 41 of the adjacent anchor frame 40 and is suitably fixed to the base 41, and the arm 53 of the bar 52 is stressed and is extended into and attached to the related side frame member 22 of the bed frame 20.

Locking means is provided which is operatively connected to the anchor frame 40 and the head 16 of the bed assembly 14 and which is actuable upon execution of the movement of the bed assembly to the use position, the locking means serving to releasably hold the bed assembly 14 in fixed position upon the adjacent portion of the floor F. Specifically, this locking means comprises a carriage 57 which includes a flat base 57a and rising from the opposed side edges of the base 57a are U-shaped side members 57b. Extending across and secured to the rear ends of the side members 57b is a backing 57c, and surmounting the carriage 57 is a hook element retaining plate 57d. The carriage 57 is disposed upon the frame 40 so that the fiat base 57a rests upon the base 41 with the side members 57b extending along and the free ends of their legs bearing against the channels 42, the backing 57c adjacent the inner end of the frame 40, and the retaining plate 57d extending from the backing 57c forwardly along the side members 57b. A first pair of link bars 55, FIGURES 6 and 8, arranged in lateral spaced relation are disposed above each of the anchor frames 40 and have one of the complemental ends pivotally connected to the adjacent anchor frame 40, as by a horizontally-disposed pin member 56, which is supported in the side members 57b of the carriage 57, and the downwardly-extending flanges 57a on the retaining plate 57d, as clearly shown in FIGURES and 6. A hand-operable adjustable means embodying a headed threaded bolt 58 is rotatably supported in an upright 59 rising from the base 41 and has an end engaging the backing 57c. Rotation of the bolt 53 in clockwise and counterclockwise directions effects the predetermined forward-and-backward movements of the carriage 57. The other of the complemental ends of the pairs of link bars 55 are provided with like longitudinally-extending closed slots 60, and a pivot pin 61 extends through and is slidably supported in the slot 60, the purpose of such slits being to permit adjustment of the carriage 57 relative to a pair of link bars 65 which are connected to the link bars 55 and which will be subsequently described.

The second pair of link bars 65 arranged in lateralspaced relation and of a length greater than the first pair of link bars 55, are disposed between the head 16 of the bed frame 20 and each of the pairs of link bars 55 and has one of the complemental ends pivotally connected to the pivot pin 61, the other of the complemental ends of the pair of link bars 65 being pivotally connected to the adjacent portion of the head 16 of the bed frame 20. Specifically, the other of the complemental ends of each of the pair of link bars 65 is pivotally connected to an adjacent pin member 66 carried by each of the hinge leaves 45 on the end cross-beam 26 of the bed frame 20. Spring means embodying upright coil springs 67 are operatively connected to each of the two pair of link bars 65 and the channels 42 of the adjacent anchor frame 46 and act to bias a second pair of link bars 65 toward their extended positions.

The bed assembly 14 is also provided with a releasing means which is operatively connected to each of the anchor frames and the adjacent locking means and which is operable at the will of the user of the bed assembly to shift the locking means simultaneously out of the position releasably holding the bed assembly 14 in the fixed position upon the floor F. Such means comprises a hook element 70 which embracingly engages the pivot pin 61 when the first and second link bars 55 and 65 are in their extended positions, as shown in FIGURES 2 and 8, the hook element being pivotally connected to the side members 57b of the adjacent carriage 57 for movement out of the embracing-engagement position with the pivot pin 61. Specifically, each of the hook elements 70 is fixedly secured to a pin member 71 which is rotatably supported in the side members 57b of the adjacent carriage 57, an end portion of the pin 71 extending through and being freely supported in one of the channels 42 of the adjacent frame 40. A spring-biased holding element 72 is carried by each of the pin members 71, as shown in FIGURE 4, and means indicated generally by the numeral 75 and shown in FIGURE 4 connects both of the holding elements 72 to a pull cord 76 extending out of the foot 18 of the bed assembly 14, as shown in FIG- URE 1. The end of the cord extcriorly of the foot 13 carries aknob 77.

The means 75 comprises a pair of links and 91 disposed on opposite sides of the central point of the crossbeam 26, the links being each supported intermediate their ends of the crossbeam 26 for free pivotal movement about a horizontal axis as at 92 and 93, the adjacent ends of the links 90 and 91 being pivotally connected together as at 94, the free ends of the links 90 being connected to an end of a pull cord 95 whose other end is connected to the adjacent holding element 72. The free ends of the links 91 are pivotally connected to a pair of spring-biased levers 96 as at 97. The levers 96 are, in turn, connected to the pull cord 76 by means of a hook 98 carried by the other ends of the levers 96.

A manually-applied pull exerted upon the cord 76 through the medium of the knob 77 causes a simultaneous shifting of the hook element 70 out of embracing engagement with the respective pivot pins 61. Release of the pull upon the knob 77 causes the simultaneous shifting of the hook elements into embracing engagement with the respective pivot pins 61 under the action of the springs associated with the holding elements 72.

A vertical adjustable rest means is also provided on each of the anchor frames 40, such means being generally indicated by the numeral 80. The respective rest means 80 on the anchor frames 40 serve to support the bed frame assembly 14 when the latter is in the position of storage. Specifically, each of the rest means 80 comprises a saddle 81 rising from the channel 42 of the base 41 of each anchor frame 40, the saddle being located between the pivot pin 61 and the hinge leaf 44 and rotatably threaded in the saddle 81 is a fiat headed threaded bolt 82. Rotation of the bolt 82 in clockwise and counterclockwise directions adjusts the heads of the bolts 82 to the desired elevation with respect to the anchor frames 40.

In operation, with the bed assembly 14 in the position of use, as in FIGURES l and 2, an outwardly-directed pull applied to the knob 77 causes the hook elements 70 to be simultaneously shifted out of embracing position with respect to the pivot pins 61, permitting the bed assembly to be started upwardly by a gently-applied upward pull thereon to a point whcreat the panel 30 can be pushed toward the recess 12 until the torsion bar assembly 50 and the weight of the bed assembly 14 take over and close the panel into place in the recess 12 with the bed frame 20 being supported upon the rest means 89, the action being such that the risk of slamming the panel into place is minimal.

To shift the bed assembly 14 from the storage position to the position of use, the bed assembly is manually started out of the recess 12 untilthe weight of the bed assembly 14 overcomes the stress of the torsion bar assembly 50, whereupon the weight of the bed assembly takes over and permits the bed assembly 14 to swing slowly and gently down to the position of use upon the floor F. As soon as the bed assembly 14 has executed its movement to the position of use, the locking means acts to releasably hold the bed assembly in fixed position with the hook elements 70 returning, under the action of the springs associated with the holding elements 72, to embracing engagement with the pivot pins 61 and thereby retain the bed assembly in such position until the user is desirous again of restoring it to the position of storage.

What is claimed is:

1. In combination, a floor, a wall rising from said floor, there being a recess formed in said wall and extending from the floor to a point spaced above said floor, said recess being of an area to receive a bed assembly when in upstanding position, a bed assembly arranged in a position of use disposed so as to extend along the floor with the head contiguous to and in alignment with the recess and the foot spaced longitudinally outwardly of and in alignment with the recess, an anchor frame ly ing upon and fixed to the portion of the floor within the recess, said bed assembly including a bed frame, and a wall panel underlying and fixedly carried by said bed frame and conformably shaped and constructed to concealingly close the recess when the bed assembly is in storage position within the recess, a torsion bar assembly connected to the head of said bed frame and to the anchor frame controlling and assisting the movement of said bed assembly between the use position and the upstanding position of storage within the recess, said torsion bar assembly comprising a pair of straight bars, each bar having arms at its ends extending at right angles thereto and in opposite directions, said bars being disposed so as to extend in criss-cross relation and having the adjacent arms secured to the complemental ends of saidanchor frame and said bed frame head, and locking means operatively connected to said anchor frame and the head of said bed assembly and actuable upon execution of the movement of said bed assembly to the use position to re leasably hold said bed assembly in fixed position upon the adjacent portion of the floor, said locking means comprising a first pair of link bars arranged in lateral-spaced relation disposed above said anchor frame and having one of the complemental ends pivotally connected to said anchor frame, a pivot pin extending through and supported in the other of the complemental ends of said link bars, and a second pair of link bars arranged in lateral-spaced relation and of a length greater than said first pair of link bars disposed between the head of the bed frame and said first pair of link bars and having one of the complemental ends pivotally connected to said pivot pin and having the other of the complemental ends pivotally connected to the head of the bed frame.

2. The combination according to claim 1 which includes in addition spring means operatively connected to each of said second pair of link bars and an anchor frame for biasing the second pair of link bars toward their extended positions.

3. In combination, a floor, a Wall rising from said floor, there being a recess formed in said Wall and extending from the floor to a point spaced above said floor, said recess being of an area to receive a bed assembly when in upstanding position, a bed assembly arranged in the position of use disposed so as to extend along the floor with the head contiguous to and in alignment with the recess and the foot spaced longitudinally-outwardly of and in alignment with the recess, an anchor frame lying upon and fixed to the portion of the floor within the recess, said bed assembly including a bed frame and a Wall panel underlying and fixedly carried by said bed frame and conformably shaped and constructed to concealingly close the recess when the bed assembly is in storage position within the recess, a torsion bar assembly connected to the head of said bed frame and to the anchor frame controlling and assisting the movement of said bed assembly between the use position and the upstanding position of storage within the recess, said torsion bar assembly comprising a pair of straight bars, each bar having arms at its ends extending at right angies thereto and in opposite directions, said bars being disposed so as to extend in criss-cross relation and having the adjacent arms secured to the complemental ends of said anchor frame and said bed frame head, and locking means operatively connected to said anchor frame and the head of said bed assembly and actuable upon execution of the movement of said bed assembly to the use position to releasably hold said bed assembly in fixed position upon the adjacent portion of the floor, said locking means comprising a carriage superimposed upon said anchor frame and connected to said frame for forward-andbackward movement, a horizontally-disposed stub shaft carried by said carriage, a hand-operable adjustable means on said carriage for effecting the predetermined movement of said carriage, a first pair of link bars arranged in lateral-spaced relation disposed above said anchor frame and having one of the complemental ends pivotally connected to said stub shaft, the other of the complemental ends of said pair of link bars being provided with like longitudinally-extending closed slots, a pivot pin extending through and slidably supported in said slots, and a second pair of link bars arranged in lateral-spaced relation and of a length greater thanv said first pair of link bars disposed between the head of the bed frame and said first pair of link bars and having one of the complemental ends pivota=lly connected to said pivot pin and having the other of the complemental ends pivotally connected to the head of the bed frame.

4-. The combination according to claim 1 which includes in addition a releasing means operatively connected to said anchor frame and to the locking means for shifting the locking means out of the position releasably holding the bed assembly in the fixed position, said releasing means embodying the hook element embracingly engaging said pivot pin when the first and second pairs of links bars are in their extended positions and pivotally connected to said anchor frame for movement of the embracing engagement with said pivot pin, and a springbiased holding element carried by said anchor frame and operatively connected to the hook element for retaining the hook element in embracing engagement position.

5. The combination according to claim 4 which includes in addition a hand-actuab le means operatively connected to said holding element for effecting movement of the hook member from the embracing position to out-ofembracing position.

6. The combination according to claim 3 which includes in addition releasing means operatively connected to said anchor frame and to the locking means for shifting the locking means out of the position releasably holding the bed assembly in the fixed position, said releasing means embodying a hook element embracingly engaging said pivot pin when the first and second pairs of link bars are in their extended position and pivotally connected to said anchor frame for movement out of embracing engagement with said pivot pin, and a springbiased holding element carried by said anchor frame and operatively connected to the hook element for retaining the hook element in the embracing-engagement position.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 215,134 5/79 Kiss 5-164 1,257,542 2/18 Singer 5-159 X 1,606,596 11/26 Peek 5135 X 1,953,018 3/34 Lauterstein 5-136 FOREIGN PATENTS 1,561 1/13 Great Britain.

FRANK B. SHERRY, Primary Examiner, 

1. IN COMBINATION, A FLOOR, A WALL RISING FROM SAID FLOOR, THERE BEING A RECESS FORMED IN SAID WALL AND EXTENDING FROM THE FLOOR TO A POINT SPACED ABOVE SAID FLOOR, SAID RECESS BEING OF AN AREA TO RECIVE A BED ASSEMBLY WHEN IN UPSTANDING POSITION, A BED ASSEMBLY ARRANGED IN A POSITION OF USE DISPOSED SO AS TO TO EXTEND ALONG THE FLOOR WITH THE HEAD CONTIGUOUS TO AND IN ALIGNMENT WITH THE RECESS AND THE FOOT SPACED LONGUTIDINALLY OUTWARDLY OF AND IN ALIGNMENT WITH THE RECESS, AN ANCHOR FRAME LYING UPON AND FIXED OT THE PORTION OF THE FLOOR WITHIN THE RECESS, SAID BED ASSEMBLY INCLUDING A BED FRAME, AND A WALL PANEL UNDERLYING AND FIXEDLY CARRIED BY SAID BED FRAME AND CONFORMABLY SHAPED AND CONSTRUCTED TO CONCEALINGLY CLOSE THE RECESS WHEN THE BED ASSEMBLY IS INSTORAGE POSITION WITHIN THE RECESS, A TORSION BAR ASSEMBLY CONNECTED TO THE HEAD OF SAID BED FRAME AND TO THE ANCHOR FRAME CONTROLLING AND ASSISTING THE MOVEMENT OF SAID BED ASSEMBLY BETWEEN THE USE POSITION AND THE UPSTANDING POSITION OF STORGE WITHIN THE RECESS, SAID TORSION BAR ASSEMBLY COMPRISING A PAIR OF STRAIGHT BARS, EACH BAR HAVING ARMS AT ITS ENDS EXTENDING AT RIGHT ANGLES THERETO AND IN OPPOSITE DIRECTION, SAID BARS BEING DISPOSED SO AS TO EXTEND IN CRISS-CROSS RELATION AND HAVING THE ADJCENT ARMS SECURED TO THE COMPLEMENTAL ENDS OF SAID ANCHOR FRAME AND SAID BED FRAME HEAD, AND LOCKING MEANS OPERA- 